The Marigold's Destiny
by DarkraiSP
Summary: Towns in the Kingdom of Desera have been attacked by guards baring Arendelle's symbol. After an assassination on the Royal Family, King Adgar plots against them with his spymaster, Kai. In the midst of this, Adgar's daughter, Anna, sets off for Arendelle with little else but some guards and the gift of fire. Will this be enough for her to face what's in store and claim her destiny?
1. Chapter 1

King Adgar ran a hand through his auburn hair as he peered at the plethora of trade documents that were lying on the desk in front of him. Had it not been for these incessant papers waiting to be signed, he would have indulged in the comfort of his bed, lying next to his beloved wife. Instead he reluctantly planned to stay up into the wee hours of the morning, completing this seemingly unending task. Wearily, he blew on his tea before tentatively sipping it.

"Your Majesty, I don't mean to be a bother, but I bring urgent news regarding my latest assignment. May I enter your study?" came a masculine voice, accompanied by a firm knock.

The king gently placed his tea down on his desk, eager to postpone his current task. "Of course Kai, come in," the king replied, recognizing the voice of his friend and spymaster.

A robust young man opened the door, sending the king a knowing smile as he noticed the clutter of papers lying on Adgar's desk.

"I see you're working yourself hard, Your Majesty."

"Ah yes, these documents seem to be multiplying by the day. No matter how many I complete, I end up with a larger pile the next day," Adgar exasperated, while gesturing for Kai to take a seat. "Never mind that, what news have you brought? Have you captured those fiends responsible for attacking the villages in the East?"

The spymaster gracefully pulled out a chair and sat down. "Not exactly. My men were able to find the culprits in an inn near the site of the attack, but they took their own lives before we could capture or interrogate them. However…" His gaze shifted away from the king, fixed onto a candle adjacent to the Monarch's desk.

Adgar frowned, sipping his tea. These attacks against the Kingdom of Desera were becoming increasingly prevalent, and yet the king still hadn't the slightest clue as to what was inciting them. His people were beginning fear for their safety, something that Adgar had promised to maintain. The king gave an encouraging nod. "However…?"

"We discovered that the culprits were not ordinary bandits, as previously assumed." Kai sighed. "They were... Arendellians. Not only that, but they were Royal Guards of Arendelle."

"What?" The King stood up abruptly, knocking down his tea and a few papers. "That can't be! The peace treaty we signed only a decade ago was supposed to end our century-old rivalry! Show me your evidence that supports this accusation!" Adgar demanded.

As if expecting such an outburst, the spymaster calmly pulled out two swords and amulets from his satchel. "The symbol on the swords matches Arendelle's snowflake, and the amulet is only giv-"

"Yes, yes I know! The King of Arendelle himself gave me an amulet akin to those a few years ago," the king exclaimed. "I know exactly what it means. But this doesn't necessarily prove that the culprits are from Arendelle, no? There's the possibility that the culprits may have somehow stolen the swords and the amulets. Or they may merely be low-class Arendellian rascals, striving to revitalize our past rivalry."

Kai nodded, looking into the king's anxious, teal eyes. "You are not wrong. Those would be plausible explanations had my men not heard the attackers' last words.

The spymaster frowned. "It took us some time to translate the Arendellian phrase, but we eventually found the meaning: for His Royal Majesty, King Henrik. But at least now we have a good idea as to who has been causing the attacks."

The king pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to nullify his pounding headache. "As much as it pains me to admit this, you may be right. However, I will not allow this one attack to sever Desera's ties with Arendelle. Henrik's ancestors have been a pain in the neck for my people, granted, but I refuse to let any rashness befall our relation. Thus, you will not disclose this information with anyone besides your men. If you uncover more evidence on this topic, I expect you to report to me with utmost haste."

"I understand, Your Majesty," Kai bowed. "If it would please you, I could gather my men and a portion of our royal guards to investigate another reported attack this instant. I believe one of the villages closer to the border was attacked just this evening."

 _Five attacks in one week? This is absolutely ridiculous_! "Hm, yes, that's a promising idea, Kai. But save that for tomorrow—you've done enough work for today. Rest, my friend. I think I'll retire for the night as well." The king mused, smiling wearily, "Perhaps tomorrow will bring pleasant news."

Kai gave Adgar a polite smile. "As you wish, Your Majesty. I bid you goodnight."

He opened the door and exited the room quietly, shaking his head slightly as his chestnut brown eyes twinkled in amusement. _Arendelle, what are you up to?_

/

Two silhouettes stealthily scaled the southern side of Desera Castle, and pushed open a window. The leader of the two entered the room, which—fortunately for them—appeared to be a vacant guest room. After closing the window and ensuring no trace of them was left behind, the pair left the room and hurried through the corridor, searching for a door marked by a reddish-orange marigold.

Neither man was necessarily thrilled at the prospect of breaking into the castle and killing two of its inhabitants, but the hefty reward in and of itself was very much compelling. In a few moments, they would be done with the task and free to return to their homeland—welcomed with enough gold to last a lifetime.

 _Exactly as it was described_ , the leader thought as he approached a double-door entrance with a brilliant, intricate marigold etched into the center. The figures noiselessly slipped open the bedroom door and peered inside. One of the men nodded to his partner as he unsheathed his dagger, inching closer to the peacefully sleeping Queen. _They were right, you are gorgeous. Such a shame you'll have to die, sorceress._ Upon closer inspection, he noticed a young red-headed child sleeping to the right of the queen.

"You kill the princess, I'll kill the queen. A clean slit through the throat will ensure they don't make a sound," the man whispered, holding the dagger.

Quietly, the second man took out his dagger and made his way to the princess.

The leader noiselessly grabbed a pillow in one hand and slowly brought the dagger to the queen's throat. Quickly, he smashed the pillow on her face, muffling any potential cries for help as he slit her throat. Blood began to seep into the pristine pillow, staining it a dark shade of red.

The second man was about to follow suit when he noticed a beautiful, golden necklace with a dazzling ruby pendant around the princess's neck. _It's my lucky day_ , he thought, smirking. He attempted to grab the necklace, yet as he touched the ruby pendant, his hand exploded with pain—as if his hand was engulfed in flames.

"Ah! Son of a—"

"Shut up, you idiot!" his partner whispered loudly, but it was too late.

Thundering footsteps could be heard and before either man could make another move, the bedroom door burst open as a dozen guards poured into the room.

 **Disclaimer: The movie Frozen is owned by Disney, not me.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Halt! Drop your weapons, immediately!" An intimidating young man clad in silver armor emerged from the cluster of guards. After glancing at the red-stained pillow covering the queen, the captain gritted his teeth, glaring daggers at the two figures. "Make one wrong move and your lives will be forfeit."

The leader of the assassins glared back at the captain before shifting his gaze to the startled, awoken princess. He figured he had to act promptly in order to get out of the situation unscathed. Thus—without much thought—he slid underneath the bed and sprung up from the opposite side, positioning his dagger adjacent to the princess's neck.

"On the contrary, drop _your_ weapons, or the princess will meet the same fate as the queen," the dark-clothed man retorted, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

The guards tensed up, gripping their swords hard enough to turn their knuckles white. Sweat formed on their faces as they mulled over their current predicament. They knew they could not allow the two men to walk away freely, but could they risk putting another member of the royal family in harm's way?

"Actually," a voice piped up from one of the guards, "you couldn't hurt the crown princess even if you tried. Her fire magic will sear your flesh before you could lay a finger on her."

The captain nearly dropped his sword. Had he heard that correctly? Surely, the two intruders would see through such a blatant lie, especially since neither of them has seen the queen, not to mention the princess, use her powers. Unless...

The captain quickly scrutinized the assassins, noting that one of them refused to move his right arm, even in the slightest bit.

 _Well done, Olaf,_ the captain thought, smiling slightly despite the perilous situation. "My guard is correct. The crown princess's magic is involuntary and will protect her from all threats. Just ask your injured friend over there," the captain nodded towards the other assassin's direction.

The assassin leader furrowed his eyebrows at the remark, then turned towards his partner, noticing his seemingly undamaged, yet limp arm.

"It's true", the second assassin begrudgingly confessed. "I barely even touched her necklace, let alone the girl, and now my hand feels like it was burned in a furnace!". He tried moving his hand, but this only caused a shot of agonizing pain to spread through the man's arm.

The captain smiled in relief. _Good, he's fallen for the bluff. Unbeknownst to him, Her Majesty, not the crown princess, must have burnt his hand._

Any bit of remaining confidence abandoned the leader of the two assassins as he removed his dagger from the redhead's neck, frantically trying to think of a way out of this dreadful situation. His mind seemed to have turned against him, failing to provide a viable solution—that is, until he remembered the contingency plan.

The words of His Grace echoed in his mind: "Should you encounter difficulties in exiting the castle, every room in the southern end of the castle—including the royal family's bedroom—has a frail window. Break through it and a line of bushes shall lie below, which should break your fall."

A rush of hope flowed through the assassin leader as he subtly glanced at the back of the room. This was his last chance; he couldn't let this opportunity slip away. After a few moments of futile searching, it dawned on him. There weren't any windows in the room, and the only way out was blocked by the guards. The dark-clothed man sighed, clearly vexed. He could not fathom how his superior could have relayed such atrociously false information. Not only was the room lacking a window, but also the assassin leader was reassured that the queen was the only royal with control over fire. The man threw a frustrated glance at the seemingly harmless, innocent redhead before staring the captain down—clenching his fists. _It's as if His Majesty wanted us to die here_ , he thought bitterly.

"It's over, criminal. You have no leverage in this situation. I suggest you hand over the crown princess and perhaps His Majesty will decrease the severity of your punishment," the captain bluffed as he subtly gestured for a few of his guards to prepare their bows.

"Of course, I'm sure His Majesty wouldn't mind the death of his beloved queen _that_ much, right?" the assassin leader chuckled dryly. _Damn you, royals. If my death is going to be at the fault of one, I might as well try to take another royal down with me!_

Hastily, the dark-clothed figure positioned his dagger in front of the redheaded child once more before thrusting the weapon towards the girl's chest. The act was so swift that none of the guards were able to respond in time.

As the point of the dagger honed in, mere centimeters away from the princess, the girl's scared, teal eyes changed to a fiery shade of orange. "No!" she shouted while a swirling inferno erupted from her glowing ruby pendant, disintegrating the dagger as it continued on its path towards its cold-hearted victim.

The leader's eyes shone with fear, illuminated by the massive, approaching fire. "Wha—" The inferno cut off his last words as he was slammed against the wall before becoming fully engulfed in the flames, dissolving along with the remaining embers.

The guards stood stock-still, shock evident on the faces of even the most stoic men. None of them could believe that their princess appeared to genuinely be a sorceress.

As the princess turned her head towards the remaining assassin, her eyes mimicking the colors of hell's fire, the assassin shook in absolute horror. "M-my apologies, Your Highness," the petrified man managed to voice out before he stabbed himself in his chest with his dagger.

Shortly after, the redhead's eyes flickered, changing back to its former teal color as the girl fell back onto the bed and slipped into unconsciousness.

"Your Highness!" the captain shouted while rushing over to the supine Princess. "Guards, take Her Majesty and Her Highness to the Infirmary, and find King Adgar!"

The guards nodded in response and hurried out of the room, grimly searching for the king. Various questions formed in their mind as they went about their task, too anxious to voice them aloud to one another. But one inquiry uniformly arose in all of their minds: _Her Majesty couldn't be dead, could she?_

/

By now all of the royal guards, as well as the servants inside the castle, knew about the attack. The details of the incident, however, remained undisclosed to those who had not witnessed it first-hand.

"Your Majesty, are you in here?" asked Olaf, a spritely guard. He continued this approach as he knocked on each and every door along the eastern wing of the castle. Just as he was turning away from the door to the King's study, the guard heard a muffled snore coming through the doorway. Slowly, Olaf opened the door.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" the guard frantically yelled upon seeing Adgar face-down on his desk.

The king began to rise and rub his eyes, adjusting to the darkness of the room. "Olaf, is that you? Why are you shouting?"

"Oh, my apologies, King Adgar," the guard replied in relief. "I thought something was wrong. I guess I'm still a little on-edge after tonight's attack."

The king's eyes widened as his expression morphed into one of absolute fear. "What attack, Olaf? Are Idunn and Anna safe? Was anyone injured?"

"I'm afraid Queen Idunn sustained a severe knife injury, and she is currently residing in the Infirmary. The crown princess, on the other hand, appears to have not received any injuries, but she is still being checked in the Infirmary as well," Olaf informed grimly.

Promptly, the king rushed out of the room, heading towards the Infirmary as a plethora of thoughts raced through his mind. _Idunn, please be okay… I don't know what I'd do without you. I should have been there to protect you and Anna._

Adgar's next thought nearly made the king fall over, his face turning ghostly pale.

 _Wait… why was I still in the Study?_

 **A/N So, I know I said I was going to update bi-weekly, but I was just too excited to write this chapter! However, starting today I will update either weekly, bi-weekly, or something in between! I will almost always update only on Fridays or Saturdays. Also, please let me know if there's anything you like or don't like about the story, it helps me a lot!** **I plan for this story to be very long (at least 40 chapters). Also, big shout out to** **BlossomCharms** **and** **JYN044** **for all their help and advice! Plus, they have insanely great fics you all should read! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Adgar came to an abrupt stop as he stood in front of the Infirmary door. The king prayed silently, pleading for the gods to protect the queen, his beloved wife, from death's unforgiving grasp. As he slowly reached for the doorknob, his hand wavered.

 _Why isn't he opening the door?_ Olaf thought as he stood next to the king.

As if hearing the guard's thoughts, the king broke free from his trance—grasping the doorknob tightly—and opened the door.

The emotions that had gripped the king earlier had come back full-force as he took in the sight before him. At the end of the room, his unconscious wife and daughter were lying supine on adjacent medical beds. Although the princess did not appear to have any injuries, the queen wasn't as fortunate. Numerous trails of blood ran across her nightgown, smearing it a deep shade of scarlet. What troubled him the most was the blood-soaked bindings around the woman's neck.

The doctor attending the queen looked up. "Your Majesty—"

"What is Anna's condition? Has Idunn's bleeding stopped? Will they live?" the king interrupted frantically.

"Anna is perfectly fine. She doesn't have any injuries, yet I am unsure of why she is unconscious. It's presumably due to exhaustion or stress from the recent events," the doctor reassured.

He then paused and lowered his gaze. "The queen, however, has suffered a deep incision on the left side of her neck, severing a major artery. Although the bleeding has slowed significantly after the bindings, her pulse is becoming increasingly faint by the minute." The man cleared his throat before respectfully meeting Adgar's bloodshot eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. There is almost no chance she will survive. Even with Queen Idunn's magic enhancing her resilience, she has already lost too much blood."

Adgar hurried over to Idunn's side, clasping her soft hand in his own. Rivers of tears flowed unabashedly down his face. _Gods, no! Stay with me, Idunn! Please, I…_ "I love you," the king whispered forlornly and placed a gentle kiss on his wife's cheek.

It was but a few moments later when the Queen of Desera drew her last breath.

At that precise moment, the king's whole world came crashing down. Something snapped inside him, filling his soul with waves of insurmountable grief. His queen had a heart of pure gold, selflessly putting others before herself on countless occasions, and yet her life was selfishly snatched away by death.

Adgar would never be able to see Idunn grace him with one of her radiant smiles as her chocolate brown eyes twinkled with unbridled joy. He would never be able to see his wife stroll in the gardens, a look of absolute bliss on her face as she indulged in the wafting aroma of her favorite flowers—marigolds. He would never be able to see her do... _anything,_ for that matter.

 _If only I had been there to protect you_ , he thought regretfully for the second time.

The king was interrupted from his musings by the sound of a door opening.

"Doctor, what is the status of…" the Captain of the Royal Guards broke off after receiving a loathing glare. "Oh, King—"

"Captain Vern," Adgar spit out venomously, "tell me, I beseech you. How is it that you and the rest of my guards egregiously failed to prevent some fiend from entering my castle and murdering my wife?!"

The captain's faced paled noticeably, struggling to hold back tears as his entire being was consumed with dread. He had served the Royal Family for over a decade, and thus hearing that the queen had died struck him. The queen's energetic, sometimes childlike demeanor had grown on the captain, to the point where he considered her as a younger sister.

Vern kneeled down. "I am beyond sorry, Your Majesty. Seven of my guards who were supposed to attend their posts on the southern side of the castle had failed to show up during the nightshift. This left the entire corridor along the south completely unguarded, allowing the two intruders to make their way to the Royal Bedroom."

"Bring me those insolent guards, right now!" the king demanded furiously.

"My guards have searched their homes, but none of them were found. We suspect that their absence was no coincidence and that they may have been conspiring with the two assassins who broke into the castle."

"Treason!? My guards, of all people, have committed treason!" Adgar grimaced before letting out a sorrowful sigh. "Arise, captain. You have served us well throughout the years, and I know you genuinely cared for my…" The king fought back his tears, but a rogue one managed to slip down his cheek.

Once Adgar regained his composure, he inquired, "Are the two men you spoke of imprisoned, or were they killed?" He could not care less for the lives of those devils, but Adgar knew he could interrogate the men to find out where their allegiance lies.

Vern slowly stood up. "The two assassins are dead. As the leader attempted to strike the crown princess, he was burnt to ash by the child's sorcery. The other man killed himself in fear of being subjected to the same fate."

King Adgar's expression changed from solemn to a mixture of shock and pride. "Anna is gifted with magic as well? I suppose that is fitting—she always did take after her mother."

"Yes, her magic was a surprise, but a welcomed one. She may not have survived without it," the captain confessed. "Furthermore, I was able to recover one of the assailant's dagger. There was a snowflake engraved on the weapon's handle, and I'm fairly confident that the symbol matches that of Arendelle's."

The previous annoyance Adgar felt towards Arendelle was miniscule compared to the absolute hatred he now had for the kingdom. "Vern, notify the members of my royal council that I will be holding a meeting right now. Also, find out if there are any other traitors amongst my guards," he said through gritted teeth.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," the captain bowed before hurrying out of the Infirmary.

As the king was making his way to the Council Room, thoughts of war appeared in his mind. _Those_ _Arendelle scum will not get away with this. If a war is what they want, a war is what they shall get._

Upon arriving at the Council Room, Adgar opened the door and was met with a table full of lords and advisors, chatting loudly amongst themselves.

"Gentlemen," he stated solemnly as he walked to his seat at the head of the table, "as you may have heard, Queen Idunn was assassinated by a pair of men carrying Arendelle's symbols. Before this, the eastern and northern villages in Desera have been subjected to numerous barbarous attacks from Arendelle."

Adgar paused and sipped on a glass of water that was placed before him, trying his utmost best to conceal his emotions. "I cannot let these actions go unpunished. Our peace treaty was supposed to end our conflicts, but it seems that Arendelle is capable of only violence! So, I have thought it over, and I plan to prepare Desera for war."

Instantly, the room burst into an uproar as one side of the members voiced their discontent with the notion while the other side expressed their approval.

"Quiet!" the king bellowed. "If you wish to speak out your concerns, you will do so respectfully and in an orderly fashion."

"King Adgar." An old noble stood up as he garnered the room's attention. "I understand that you are grieving for Her Majesty's death, but it wouldn't be wise to let your feelings get in the way of your reason. Even if we disregard the fact that Arendelle's royal family has magic, our navy is only half the size of theirs. The bitter truth is that we wouldn't stand a chance."

"Is there anyone else in the room who agrees with Lord Varon's stance on the matter?"

A little over half the room stood up in support of the noble's position.

Adgar scanned the faces of those who stood up, shocked to see his spymaster among them. "Kai, you agree as well?" Adgar inquired in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but it isn't probable that Desera will be successful should we go to war. Besides the points Lord Varon made, our closest ally, Corona, is still recovering from their recent civil war."

"You may be correct, Kai," the king sighed in defeat. He then addressed the rest of the council, "Moreover, in three day's time, a...f-funeral will be held." The monarch seemed as if he was contemplating something, before he choked, "You all are dismissed."

As the royal council members were leaving, the monarch remained fixed in his seat, dejectedly staring at the cup in front of him. _I don't need their approval to avenge you, my love. But... I can't willingly throw away the lives of my people, knowing that we don't stand a chance in war._

"Your Majesty, may I propose a suggestion?"

The king looked up and smiled slightly. "Kai, of course. What do you propose?"

"Although we may not stand a chance against Arendelle directly, what if we took an indirect approach? I suggest we feign obliviousness towards Arendelle and their responsibility for Queen Idunn's murder."

After receiving a perplexed, aggravated look from Adgar, the spymaster added, "Let me elaborate. We could maintain our relations with the kingdom for now. This would prevent Arendelle from sensing our hostility towards them, benefiting us with the element of surprise. After some time has passed, I could travel to Arendelle under the guise of a noble, along with a score of guards, and build the Royal Family's trust. When the moment is right, we will assassinate the royals. This should cause Arendelle to fall victim to anarchy."

The king contemplated the proposal, considering all of the upsides and the downsides. Although he would have to risk the loss of some guards and his loyal spymaster, this plan would allow him to preserve the lives of numerous Deserians while providing the opportunity to take down Arendelle once and for all.

"I accept your proposal."

 **A/N Hi everyone, thanks for reading this chapter, and I hope you all liked it! Please feel free to leave a review regarding any questions or critiques you may have! Your comments mean a lot to me :) Also, I won't be able to update until around Christmas, but after that, I should be updating again bi-weekly or weekly.**

 **Edit: Sorry you all, I actually may postpone the next chapter until early January. It's college app season over here, and I have 15 applications to finish :(**

 **Edit #2: I hate having to do this, but I have to postpone the next update for a little longer. Sorry! :( Life just got extremely busy, but I will definitely continue this story when I get the chance! I have way too many ideas planned to just discontinue this story now ;) I hope you all are doing well! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Six long years have passed since the fall of the queen, and Desera had seemed to all but recover from the tragedy. There was still a lingering sense of grief and fear among the townsfolk, but the nation as a whole had prospered over the years. Various kingdoms far and wide had taken steps to improve relations with the flourishing nation, though whether this goodwill was born of genuine sympathy or motivated by economic reasons was impossible to say. Trade relations between neighboring kingdoms had dipped in the first year but had improved significantly from there on out, and the frequent attacks that once plagued a myriad of towns and villages throughout the country had died down rapidly. Some of the more conservative countries that distanced themselves from Desera and its sorcerous lineage had begun to tentatively establish connections with the growing power, yet several remained obstinate.

At face value, Desera was seemingly entering its prime and had maintained, if not improved upon, its status as an affluent, powerful nation. But while this held some truth, the heart of Desera was profoundly wounded, as if a blade was lodged deep within its heart and was being twisted ever so slightly each day.

King Adgar had become a shell of his former self. No longer did he have the energy or patience to carry out his duties on his own, as he had done for the past few decades. His advisors, who were supposed to serve as a temporary crutch during his mourning period, had essentially become his permanent wheelchair. The King handed over nearly all of his responsibilities, leaving him to do little else but sign official documents, greet foreign dignitaries, and attend the occasional meeting.

Even worse, his daughter and only heir was rarely seen by the populous. And during the few interactions she had with the nobility, Princess Anna demonstrated an alarmingly vague grasp of both decorum and knowledge of governance. Many of Arendelle's nobility had offered to tutor the kingdom's heir. Some were undoubtedly only looking to manipulate the girl, but others were genuinely concerned for the kingdom's future. The Princess was both kind and beautiful, but those qualities would not be enough to hold an entire nation together. Even so, Adgar had adamantly refused to entertain any of their offers.

Some impatient nobles were beginning to grow quite frustrated, and talk of nominating a regent had been growing.

Yet, of the limited tasks Adgar performed, he still took part in regulating military and security affairs. Desera's borders had increased by at least tenfold in security, and the number of royal guards had risen dramatically, situated at every post inside and outside the castle. The King had ensured that every nook and cranny of the castle was watched by multiple pairs of eyes at all times. He had failed his people, his daughter, his wife once before, and he refused to let himself fail again. He had vowed to protect the princess at all costs, even if that meant sacrificing her freedom and closing her off from the world beyond the castle.

Among all of this, King Adgar and his spymaster had been covertly preparing for an ideal moment to strike Arendelle from within. Over the past few years, Kai had gathered invaluable information from his men who adopted various facades on their trips to the kingdom. He had once joked that he knew more about Arendelle and its history than he knew about Desera. In all this time, there had always been some obstacle preventing the spymaster from going through with one of their intricately designed schemes. While the King's patience was hanging by a mere thread, even he had to agree that Kai would only have one shot at taking down the whole royal family all together; the plan had to be nothing short of flawless. Adgar was beginning to fear that there would never truly be a perfect moment—perhaps the gods have judged him and wouldn't allow the stars to align in his favor. That is, until now.

/

"Kai, let us go over Manifest Desera once more. I have little doubt in the soundness of the plan, but you can never be too careful," Adgar stated as he sat down at the head of the council table. His tired eyes shifted nervously, making quick glances around the empty room. "One wrong move and everyone will know."

"Of course, Your Majesty. So, with the Crown Princess of Arendelle's eighteenth birthday approaching, the Royal Family will be hosting various festivities, the first of which being the ballroom gala. I will bring six of my best agents and a few royal guards along with me." The spymaster paused, waiting for the king's nod of approval before continuing, "Agent Feren and I will be adopting the façade of lords of the Western and Eastern provinces respectively, while the rest of the men will play their role as our guards."

"On which day will the execution commence? I presume by now you already have your gear ready for the trip?"

"The members of the Royal Family will be alone on the third day of the celebration, as customary of the Night of the Floating Lights. This should be the most optimal time to eliminate the threats all at once. And actually," the younger of the two men spoke as he reached into his briefcase and pulled out a thin, jet-black metal device, not unlike a pair of handcuffs, "I had my welder utilize the darkest variants of zirconium into these, as well as in some other weapons that I have put in the armory."

Adgar cracked a rare smile before taking a sip from his glass of water. "And the wine has matured at this point, yes? I'm sure they will find that the hint of belladonna adds a nice _kick_ to the flavor."

"Most definitely," Kai assured, chuckling slightly before continuing, "Yet I'm not quite sure if they'll be able to reflect on the taste once they've had a few sips. Also, Captain Vern has laced all of the arrows and daggers with the belladonna berry."

"Very good. Yet I want to make sure one thing is absolutely clear. I will not make the same mistake as those Arendellian fiends. There will be _no_ evidence left behind of our involvement." Adgar paused briefly, a grim look taking over his features. "While I'm not fond of the saying this, all of your men will choose death over capture in the event of failure." He would not allow his incursion, as noble and necessary as it was, to invite retaliation upon Desera by Arendelle or its allies. His people had to remain safe at all costs.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Kai nodded. "My men know the risks and are prepared to sacrifice all if necessary. Not a shred of evidence will be left behind." The spymaster paused, hesitating, then stepped forward and placed a hand on the King's shoulder. "Crown Princess Anna will remain safe. I promise."

The King smiled sadly. "Thank you, my friend. Now go brief the others on the details of the mission again and ensure that no one overhears you."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," the younger man bowed, a determined look adorning his face as he exited the council room.

 _Finally_ , Adgar thought. There wasn't a day that passed by when he had not thought of avenging his beloved. It didn't help that he was plagued with recurring nightmares several times a week. He recalled the day when Henrik had come after the funeral and offered his condolences to him and Anna. It had taken all of his self-restraint to not assault the foreign king right then and there. Instead, he feigned a sincere smile and nodded in acknowledgment. He had overcome his feelings, no matter how hard it was, and maintained solid relations with Arendelle.

King Adgar walked to the back of the council room, fixating his gaze on the portrait of his deceased wife. He touched the portrait gently, trailing his hand downwards as he closed his eyes. _They will pay for what they have done to you, Idunn. I promise._

A few minutes had passed when a loud growl broke the silence. Adgar sighed, knowing that he had missed dinner with the princess… again. He left the room hurriedly while heading towards the dining hall. He figured he might at least come in time to find Anna eating dessert.

It didn't take long for the king to arrive, and when he did, a wave of guilt washed over him. Anna had not bothered to look up as she slouched slightly in her usual seat while engrossed in a novel, plates already cleared from the table.

The sixteen year old had grown into a lovely young adult with her father's bright teal eyes and her mother's strawberry-colored tresses flowing down her back. Her cheeks retained some of its baby fat and were adorned with a splash of freckles—another one of her mother's traits. The meadow green dress she donned made her look like the spitting image of her mother. To say she was beautiful would be an understatement.

It wasn't until the King cleared his throat that the princess looked up, frowning.

"Oh, hello father," Anna greeted, a hint of disappointment showing in her voice.

"Anna, I'm truly sorry, it's just… I was in a council meeting."

The redhead sighed. He had used that excuse before, and she wasn't so sure if it was true anymore. Anna missed spending time with her father, and recently, he had been too busy to go on a stroll with her in the gardens or even play a game of chess. But the Princess knew her father wasn't feeling well. He was still mourning for his Queen, and Anna understood completely. After all, she still missed her mother terribly as well.

The Princess looked at the King's gray hair and the newly formed creases around his eyes and forehead. He looked far beyond his age, not even in his forties yet, but his eyes had seemed to gain some of the light it once had. She couldn't describe it, but he seemed happier in a way.

Anna gave him a gentle smile. "It's okay. I had Chef Reidar save you something, by the way."

The King returned her smile and sat down adjacent to his daughter. "Not just chocolate this time, I hope," the older of the pair quipped as one of the servants brought his meal to the table.

"You're never going to let that one go, are you?" Anna laughed lightheartedly at the memory.

"Not a chance," the King teased after thanking the servant who placed his main course before him.

Anna had missed this. She couldn't remember the last time she and her father had engaged in a playful banter. He had become so serious and melancholy over the years, and seeing the King in such a jovial mood was a pleasant surprise.

"So," the Princess voiced out, "You seem happy—I mean happier today. I take it the meeting went well?"

"Yes, actually," Adgar responded between bites, choosing his words carefully, "Kai and a few others are going to Arendelle for the crown princess's birthday. We figured it would be a strong political move for Desera to be present for the celebration and perhaps strengthen our ties with their kingdom."

It wasn't the complete truth, but the King figured it would be a good enough explanation. What he didn't expect was for it to be too good of an explanation.

"That sounds exciting!" the redhead blurted out impulsively. "Would we be able to go as well?"

A loud clang echoed throughout the dining hall after the King dropped his fork onto the plate and stood up. The look on Adgar's face made the Princess instantly regret asking the question. She should have known better; if the King refused to let her venture far from the castle, surely he wouldn't dare allow her to travel across the vast sea to some foreign kingdom. His gaze hardened while he glared at the girl before him, as though she had committed some appalling crime.

"No, Anna! Do you realize how dangerous that would be?! Arendelle isn't a playground for you to just run around and play in! Do you want to end up like your mother?" the King of Desera fumed, not noticing the tears welling up in his daughter's eyes.

"Why?! Why do you make us live like prisoners? Why do you shut us out from the world? I get that mother died but—"

"Anna, that's enough!"

"Please, just tell me! What are you so afraid of?!"

"I. Said. Enough!" Adgar roared as his fist slammed onto the table with all his force, the wood splintering under the pressure. A loud thud resonated throughout the room, followed by the sound of a chair scraping the floor as Anna got up and ran.

It wasn't until the girl was gone that King Adgar realized the Princess had been crying. Deep remorse settled in as he replayed what had happened in his mind. He hadn't meant to chastise the redhead so harshly, but the mere thought of Anna going to Arendelle, of all places, was more than he could bear.

The King sighed ruefully. Perhaps the Princess would benefit from knowing the truth, but there's always the possibility she might end up plagued by the same paranoia and insomnia that had tormented her once before.

Yet, as much as it pained Adgar to admit it, he knew he would have to reveal it to her sooner or later.

The faint scent of smoke snapped the King out of his musings, and it didn't take long for him to find the source. Adgar picked up the novel his daughter had been perusing earlier, noting the newly formed scorch marks on the cover. So, his brain wasn't playing tricks on him; Anna's pendant had indeed glimmered briefly during their argument. The King furrowed his eyebrows in concern while overwhelming feelings of shame engulfed him. Had he gone too far this time?

Regardless of the case, the King knew he was at fault and began to search for his daughter.

 **A/N: I'm extremely sorry for the VERY long delay, but I hope you all enjoyed chapter 4! As always, like, comment, and subscribe for more content. Just kidding, but feel free to leave a review or PM me if you have any questions, critiques, or if you just wanna say hi :P I'm all ears. Also, special thanks to Jyn044 for helping in polishing up the draft, feedback, and offering great ideas for the story! I really, really appreciate your help. Lyra and Reithel, I know I've said it before, but thank you so much for offering your tips in writing dialogue. They made it** **less difficult to write these few chapters. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

The still of the evening was disturbed by the sound of muffled sobs. Anna cradled her legs as she sat against the library wall, emotions overwhelming her like a waterfall crashing down on a leaf. Although she felt some comfort in the familiar scent of books and candle wax, it was not nearly enough to assuage the persistent ache in her chest. In search of distraction, she rubbed her blurry eyes and peered through a window. Trees with dark green foliage glimmered under the moon and swayed gently to the summer breeze. The roads, illuminated by flickering lanterns, curved around the royal garden and past the stables. Far beyond the bleak castle wall, she made out a blue speck that allured her, promising novelty, adventure, and, for once, freedom—something she had longed for.

A soft rapping on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Go away."

"Anna, are you alright?" Olaf said as he opened the door.

"Oh, Olaf," she said, "I, um, nothing? I mean, I'm fine." She briskly wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

His amused grin faded as he neared her, noticing the trail of tears lining her face. "Anna… what happened?"

She stared at the ground, frantic thoughts racing through her mind while she sought out a plausible lie, before caving in. "Father and I got into an argument at dinner. He mentioned that Kai will be attending a celebration in Arendelle, and I thought perhaps he and I could go as well and…" A sigh escaped her, tears pricking her eyes. "He scolded me for it and wouldn't tell me why! I just feel like I'm living in a gilded cage like a common animal."

With that, glistening lines streaked her face anew and her legs gave way, saved from the cold marble floor by Olaf's embrace.

"Shh, Anna, it's okay. Please dry your eyes." He rubbed her back in circular motions. "Seeing you in tears makes me want to cry, and then what would the others say? The crown princess's personal guard, Olaf, bravest of the brave, wept in front of her like a newborn."

A faint smile appeared on her face. "You would be ruined." Anna's heaving shoulders lessened, warmth from the close contact nullifying the sorrow aching in her chest.

The pair remained in the embrace for a few moments before separating.

"Thanks, Olaf." She fixed her gaze on the floor. "I'm sorry."

"For what? You did nothing wrong. If anything…" He paused, eyebrows furrowing. "Just know that the king truly does care for you."

"Hmph, well he sure has an interesting way of showing it." Her eyes lifted, backtracking at the hint of hesitation in his voice. "Wait, Olaf, there's more to it than just that, isn't there. What is it?"

"I'm afraid I can't say anymore. Oh, how about I escort you to your room? It's getting late."

Anna nodded, though the distant look in his eyes hadn't gone unnoticed and made her wonder what the reason could be. Silence fell between the two as they left the library and headed towards her room. She decided not to push the topic any further, settling to make sense of her thoughts. _What is father hiding? Did something happen to the kingdom to make him so anxious? Surely, I would have remembered if that was the case._

"Here we are." His expression had returned to normal, a boyish grin taking over his features.

Anna shook her thoughts away and smiled. "Yes, I suppose this is goodnight?"

"I suppose you're right," he said, teasingly. "Rest well, Anna."

She gave a small wave before closing the door behind her. Her bedroom was fairly large and well kept, despite a few stray books that somehow always managed to find their way onto the floor. At first, reading had simply been a way to quash her boredom, but she soon took an interest in novels of sorcery and magic. It had suppressed her desire for adventure and helped her strengthen her powers. Maintaining control of her magic, on the other hand, proved to be much more difficult.

After changing into her nightgown, Anna soaked in the warmth from her blankets, closed her eyes, and allowed her thoughts to drift toward a familiar fire surrounded by darkness. The image had been tugging at her mind for some time, though she had yet to make any sense of it. The lone flame began to waver slightly, perhaps as a result of her impatience. _Come on, come on! What are you trying to show me?_ Her pendant began to glow weakly, as if in response to her thoughts, mimicking the flickers of the fire.

Seconds turned into minutes as the fire held Anna's focus. The stubbornness in her shone through, and she refused to yield like she had done the previous nights. Her head began to hurt as she strained to concentrate on the flame. A few moments later, it began to extend, as though the finger-like tips were clawing at the black expanse to make room for itself, and then stopped.

The edges of the fire solidified in its shape as the wavering ceased completely. A reminiscent scent took Anna by surprise, yet she resisted the urge to satisfy the tickle at her memory. She wasn't sure why her mind was constantly pushing her towards the image, but she reasoned it would make sense if she concentrated on it hard enough. Or, at least, that's what her reading taught her. A few minutes passed. Nothing. The image had remained static. She groaned internally, ready to give in and direct her thoughts elsewhere, when a voice emerged from within the fire.

 _Anna._

That voice. Anna could pinpoint it from a thousand others. It was the same voice that sang her lullabies and tales of faraway places, soothing her fears of the unknown. It was the same voice that chided her with the gentleness of a feather when she was too daring and hurt herself as a consequence. It was the same voice that praised her for her accomplishments, regardless of its significance, and made her feel worth something.

 _Mother?_

Flickering and swirling, the flame lengthened into a tall spiral and morphed into the very image of the queen.

 _Oh, my little marigold. I've missed you more than you could ever_ —

Startled, Anna opened her eyes hurriedly, beads of sweat marking her forehead, and placed a hand over her beating chest. Upon seeing her mother dissolve from her vision, she scrunched her eyes. _No, no, no. Come back, please!_

Anna redirected her focus onto the swirling fire that wavered much quicker than before, struggling to make out the queen's face.

 _Anna there… time…. connection… severed._

 _I, no wait, you can't leave! Mother, please, don't go!_

 _I… sorry… not enough… You… listen… important…go… Arendelle… protect… Kai… I love…_

The fire's swirling froze, revealing the queen's parting smile, before darkness smothered the orange hues. In turn, the tugging sensation went away, leaving an empty feeling in its wake. Anna wasn't sure what to make of the recent events. Part of her wanted to berate herself for accidentally opening her eyes after her mother spoke. Another part of her wanted to smile for being able to speak to her mother again, even if it was for a brief period.

Anna stifled a yawn and stared at the ceiling, confusion etched onto her face as she pondered upon her mother's words. The queen wanted her to go to Arendelle—that much was certain—but beyond that, she hadn't the slightest clue. _Do I protect Kai or Arendelle? Maybe she meant go with Kai to protect Arendelle, but from whom? And what if I'm not strong enough?_ Her mind drifted off as she closed her eyes, unable to resist the temptation of sleep any longer.

/

The next morning, Anna woke up before dawn had a chance to rub its eyes and stretch, a feat that earned curious looks from the guards, but she paid them no heed. She made her way past a few doors before stopping.

"Olaf!" She knocked. "Hello? Are you in there?"

She couldn't help but smile at the sound of an exaggerated groan, followed by footsteps.

"Anna, why are you up so early?" he said after opening the door. "If this is another one of your dessert-pilfering schemes, I'm going to have to decline."

"Hey! You ate half of our findings last time. And no, this is important."

Olaf studied her face briefly before inviting her in. "Is this about yesterday?"

"No, no, it's—wait, yes it is. In a sense. Do you remember that annoying feeling I mentioned to you the other day?"

He nodded.

"Well yesterday night, it felt stronger than before, and then something happened! I saw mother in the inferno and she spoke to me."

"It sounds like you were dreaming."

"No, you don't understand. This was nothing like any of my dreams. I think our fire magic allowed us to form some sort of bond. She warned me of some danger threatening Arendelle."

"Anna…"

She narrowed her eyes, dismissing the urge to stomp her foot. "Don't you 'Anna' me. It was real—I'm certain of it. Olaf, please, you have to believe me!"

His face gave away a thoughtful look while he massaged his temple. "Okay, okay, I believe you. So, what now?"

"I need to go to Arendelle."

"What?!"

"Hush, not so loud," she said, glancing at the door. "And I have to, Olaf. Don't try and stop me, please. I just need you to explain the situation to my father once I'm gone."

"I can't let you do this. The king—"

"What about the queen? What about my mother? Does she not have say in this? Olaf, you didn't hear the urgency in her tone." She paused, cheeks flushing. "Besides, she wouldn't have told me to go if she didn't believe in me." _Right?_

Olaf's shoulders slumped. "Fine, but I'm coming with you. There's no way I would let you stand in harm's way all by yourself."

"But my father—"

"Has as much say in this as your mother." He grinned. "I'll suffer the consequences when we come back. Right now, we need a plan and a name to go along with it. How does Operation Save Arendelle sound?"

Anna felt a smile tug at her lips as she darted towards Olaf and hugged him, nearly knocking both of them over.

/

A few hours passed when Anna and her father breakfasted in the royal garden. He insisted on bringing her favorite foods, along with a heartfelt apology, both of which she accepted. They had talked casually for a while before deciding to play a game of chess, much to Anna's delight. It wasn't until a servant had reminded the king of an upcoming meeting that he prepared to leave, but not before receiving a surprise hug from Anna. She buried her guilt-ridden face in his chest, knowing that may be the last time they saw one another for some time.

Anna returned to her room shortly after and began to stuff a few dresses into a backpack. Everything felt surreal to her. For years, she had been confined to the castle grounds, rarely even allowed on the castle wall for fear of falling, and now she was about to travel across the seas to a foreign kingdom full of new sights and places to visit. _But I'm going there for a reason,_ she thought, _and it will be perilous._ Yet that didn't stop her face from lighting up with a beam as she made her way to the library, a fresh spring in her step.

Upon arriving, she scurried through the aisles and scanned the shelves. Even after all these years of poring over books, there were still numerous novels of magic Anna had not read yet, emphasizing just how immense the library's collection was.

"Hello, Crown Princess. I take it you've exhausted your weekly supply of novels?"

"Oh, hello Gerda." She smiled. "Yes, I was actually looking to select only one book today. Do you have _The Five Pillars of Sorcery_ , by any chance? I've been meaning to read it for some time."

"Indeed, I do. A gentleman returned it just a few days ago. If you would kindly follow me," the librarian said before they began to walk towards the back end of the room. She kneeled down, picked a few books out, and then placed them back on the shelf. This pattern continued until Gerda lifted a rather hefty book and blew some dust off the cover. "Ah, here it is." She handed the book over to Anna. "Was there anything else you needed, Crown Princess?"

Anna shook her head. "No, this is perfect. Thank you, Gerda."

She headed towards the entrance before turning and taking in the sight once more. She would miss the late nights spent among the sea of novels, the books telling stories of their travels through their unique scent, the reminiscence of happier times when her parents would read her dozens of fairytales around the fire. "Maybe you'll remind me of home when I leave," she whispered, staring at the book in her hand.

That evening, Anna had taken Olaf's advice and requested an early dinner from the dining hall's head chef. She had perused through a few dozen pages of her novel by the time she finished her main course. While waiting for her dessert to arrive, she set aside the book and began to reflect on the plan she and Olaf had created. They intended to sneak onto Kai's ship at midnight since it departs a little after dawn. Anna knew it wouldn't be easy to sneak off the castle grounds, and she still wasn't sure how they would manage to stay hidden on the boat for the entirety of the trip.

She allowed herself to be distracted by the chocolate soufflé and set of fresh utensils in front of her. After nibbling on the berries adorning the delicacy, she devoured the cake with relish, unaware of a few new guards gaping at her in awe.

"Camilla," Anna said after finishing her dessert, "Would you mind letting my father know that I have already eaten and plan to retire early for the night?"

"Not at all, Your Highness."

"Thank you." She picked up her novel, bid the servant goodnight, and left.

Once she shut the bedroom door behind her, Anna finished placing a few more belongings into her backpack and changed into a black dress. With any luck, it might help prevent the guards from seeing her at a distance. Looking out her window, she noticed that there were dark patches near the stables. _The lanterns must have burned out,_ she thought, taking a mental note of it. As she was about to turn away, she caught her reflection and nearly slapped her forehead. Her red hair would be as striking as a candle at night. Hurriedly, she rummaged through her closet and found a black sunhat. _I'll probably look rather ridiculous wearing this at night,_ Anna thought with a grin.

Placing her hat on her desk, she glanced at the letter she had written earlier for her father and averted her gaze. She could practically see him glaring at the note, bitter tears pricking his eyes as each word burned into his vision. Before the guilt could settle in, Anna shifted her thoughts towards Arendelle and envisioned all of the authentic foods she would taste, the unique places she would see, the different people she would meet.

She snuggled into her blankets and attempted to calm her nerves. She felt as if she were a leaf freshly detached from its tree, carried by a strong wind current—free but uncertain. The next day would be a rough one for her, but it still excited her no less. Anna took a deep breath and closed her eyes, imagining her mother beaming with that same proud smile from the night before. _Please give me your blessings._

 _ **A/N: Hi everyone, thanks for reading, and I hope you all had fun! For this chapter, I tried out a new style for the dialogue to make the story more immersive (I'm hoping), and I added some more descriptions. Also, a HUGE thank you to my beta reader, JYN044, for all her help with editing and feedback. It's much appreciated! Anyway, I hope you all have a good rest of your day, and I'll see you in the next chapter. Bye :)**_


	6. Chapter 6

Anna fluttered her eyes open at the sound of knocking. Glancing around the bedroom, she took in the shadows of her surroundings, rising and falling in rhythm to the flickering candle on her nightstand. It had such a soothing effect that she felt herself being pulled back into the realm of dreams.

Another series of knocking followed.

"Crown Princess, you asked me to wake you up at dusk?"

It took a few moments for her to register what was going on before she nearly leapt out of her bed. "Just a second, please!" Anna scurried over to her mirror, running her fingers through tangled yet velvety locks, and wrapped her hair into a messy bun. Satisfied, she tucked stray strands of hair into her sunhat, grabbed her backpack, and all but yanked the door open. "Olaf! Hi. I had asked one of the chefs to prepare me a late night meal." She glanced at some of the guards nearby and discretely handed over her backpack to him. "Would you mind escorting me to the dining hall?"

"Not at all, Your Highness," he said, winking. While Anna had grown accustomed to being addressed by her title, it still felt foreign coming from Olaf, as he was the closest thing she ever had to a brother. But even with her little knowledge of governance, she knew he only kept up the pretense in front of the castle staff and nobles to protect her political image.

Along the corridor, they passed a number of guards who barely blinked an eye at the pair and gave Anna an almost imperceptible nod. "Are they just tired or do they find it normal for their princess to be strolling through the halls past midnight?" she whispered.

Olaf's lips twitched upwards. "I'd go with your first guess since the night watch hasn't yet relieved them. Or it could be that and that they've grown used to your eccentric tendencies."

"Is that so?" Her eyes narrowed, glinting with mischief. "Perhaps I should humor them?" As they approached a spiral staircase, Anna blew a raspberry at Olaf and bounded towards the steps. She heard him calling after her in a loud whisper before she slid down on the railing.

After reaching the bottom, Anna smoothed out some wrinkles on her dresses with one hand and suppressed a laugh with the other. The distant echo of footsteps above her suggested that Olaf had quite a ways to go.

In the meantime, she walked along the hallway and regarded some of the portraits of her ancestors. Unsurprisingly, all of them had hair that was some shade of red, except for one. A black-haired woman, no more than a decade older than Anna, stood with one foot touching the ground and the other stretched outward towards a nearby lake. Her arms extended in a similar fashion, giving off the impression that she had just completed some variant of a pirouette. Anna wasn't entirely sure what, but there was something about this painting that drew her in. Perhaps it was the former queen's amber-colored eyes and her glowing hands…or just how natural the pose seemed.

"Anna!" Olaf sprinted towards her and panted slightly, eyes ablaze. "Have you lost your mind? That was _eight_ flights of stairs. You could have broken your neck!"

"But I didn't," she said, her voice lilting, "and besides, it was the fastest way to get down."

"I swear you will be the death of me." He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Please, at least promise me you'll try to be more careful?"

Anna's teasing smile dissolved into a thin line when she noticed the sincerity in his voice. "I promise."

"Good, and you better keep your word," he said grinning as they walked down the hall, heading towards the courtyard.

"You know I never break my promises. At least… I haven't yet." She winked, stifling her laughter at Olaf's expression.

Their conversation died down once they reached the courtyard entrance. Although the center was free of guards, a plethora of lanterns were fixed into two rows at opposite ends; it was far too well lit for them to just walk right through. Worse, both sides of the courtyard were flanked with at least a dozen guards each. If they weren't in such a predicament, Anna might have noticed how beautiful the courtyard looked that night.

"What are we going to do? We already passed the dining hall, so that excuse won't work if we're questioned," Anna said.

"Hmm, there's no way we'll be able to go through the sides. It seems the center is our only option." He ran a hand through his messy black hair. "I just wish there was some way we could… Wait!" Turning abruptly, he stared at Anna's necklace, as if he just remembered she had fire magic. "You can dim the lanterns."

"I-I don't know, Olaf. I haven't practiced much with controlling fire from that great of a distance. And what if I mess up and the flame goes out completely or what if I set someone on fire by accident or what if—"

"Anna." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you can do it. I've seen you use your magic in ways that makes dimming lanterns seem like a jest. And if something does go wrong? Well, at least we can say we gave it our all."

With a breath of confidence, she shot a brief smile at Olaf before turning towards the entrance. "You're right. This will be easy. I can do this." _I hope._

She stared at the first lantern on her right for a few moments and then closed her eyes. Her focus honed in on the gentle flicker of the lantern, noting its pattern of collapsing and rising, not unlike her own chest as she took in each breath. Slowly, she rotated her hand in the opposite direction of the fire's movements until she felt only a fraction of its initial heat. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and saw a faint light escape her chosen lantern.

"Yes! I knew you could do it." Olaf squinted at the men on both sides. "The guards didn't seem to notice. But we have to hurry before the night watch comes to relieve them."

She nodded before aligning her concentration towards the next lantern.

One by one, the first row of lanterns dimmed into a hazy glow and the second row followed suit until she reached the third furthest lantern. She had directed her focus towards the fire and was countering its movements with her hand motions when one of the guards dropped his sword, shattering her concentration. Immediately, her hand jerked upward, and the once small flame erupted into a roaring inferno.

"Anna, this is our chance, we have to move. Now!"

Panic-stricken, Anna did little else but gape at the chaos that broke loose. Guards scrambled for barrels of water and rugs to smother the fire and shouted to one another in frenzy. Smoke thickened the air and choked out coughs from those closest to the blaze. The sounds of unsheathing swords and glass breaking in the distance screeched in her ears. To think a mere flick of her wrist resulted in all of this pandemonium. Lowering her head, she stared blankly at her hands. _What have I done?_

As if realizing she wasn't going to budge, Olaf took matters into his own hands and pulled Anna along as they skirted along the right side of the courtyard. He casted a fleeting look behind him, ensuring they weren't being followed, and trailed the illuminated path towards the stables.

The world blurred before her. Trees and shrubs appeared as fuzzy green spots, the hooting sounds from the owls and chirping of crickets fell on deaf ears, the scent of fresh hay and horses was lost on her. All she could think of were the men battling against the fire, the shouts and sounds of glass shattering, the scent of burning metal and wood engulfing her. She had lost control of her power before but never to this extent.

After a few minutes, the road began to lose its orangey glow as they passed a couple of unlit lanterns. Hearing the voices of stablemen and guards up ahead, the pair took advantage of the darkness and ducked behind a bush.

Olaf stood up briefly, scanning the area up ahead and sat back down. "Okay, Anna, I think we…" He trailed off when he noticed the dazed look on her face and waved a hand in front of her. "Anna? Hello? You there?"

"The f-f-fire." Shaking her head, she adjusted her vision towards him, emotion clouding her eyes. "I could have k-k-killed them. Olaf, am I a… monster?"

He looked as though the words had stabbed him. "W-what? Of course not, Anna! I'm sure they've put out the fire by now." Resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, he offered her a sad smile. "A monster would have intentionally slaughtered those men and taken pleasure in it, and you did nothing of the sort. The worst that could have happened were a few minors burns, nothing those guards can't tolerate. You just need more practice with your magic. Anna, do you know what I see when I look at you?"

"A sniveling princess who has been way too emotional over the past few days?"

Olaf's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Yes, actually. How did you know?"

She glared at him, though the small pout on her face made it less intimidating.

"I'm kidding." He grinned. "In truth, I see a future queen who is clever enough to understand novels that baffle scholars twice your age and brave enough to sneak past numerous royal guards in the middle of the night. But most importantly, I see a future queen who has her mother's heart. You're not a monster, Anna, and I can assure you that you never will be."

Almost instantly, the anxiety etched onto Anna's face dissolved, leaving a bright smile in its wake. "Olaf, when did you become so kind?" she asked teasingly.

"The day I decided to become your personal guard and subject myself to a life of torment," he said with a wink. It looked as if he were about to add something before he paused. Muscles tensing, he peeked over the bush and then dropped like a boulder. "Someone's coming! Stay down."

Anna followed Olaf's example and remained prone on the grass, her heart racing while she listened intently for the sound of footsteps. A few moments passed when she realized the sound wasn't of footsteps, but of a horse's hoofs striking the ground. Hard. With an ear to the ground, she could practically hear the vibrations growing louder by the second. It wasn't long before the horse galloped passed them, its rider eyeing the path directly in front of him.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief and sat up. "Well, someone's in a rush."

"As are we," Olaf said. "I think it's best we separate for now. There are many more guards up ahead and too many lanterns for you to dim without someone noticing. That's why we need a diversion. I'll head for the path leading towards the right side of the stables and spook some of the horses."

She nodded. "Where will I be?"

"On my signal, you'll take the road bordering the left side of the stables, which should be clear if everything goes well. It will lead you to the castle entrance, and once you're there..." He paused, slipped a silvery object out of his pocket, and handed it to her. "Use this to unlock the door. Keep going straight until you pass a canopy of trees and reach a clearing. From there, turn right and head straight towards the docks. I'll meet you there."

"Okay." She clasped the key and gave him an uneasy smile.

"You'll be fine, Anna. Remember, these guards are trained to prevent people from breaking into the castle, not out of it. Just tread carefully and don't be afraid to make use of your surroundings." Olaf stood up, offering her one last reassuring grin, and strode towards the stables.

Anna watched him fade into the distance. In that moment, she had never felt more alone and internally thanked Olaf for coming along with her. Thinking back on it now, she realized that without him, it would have been nearly impossible to leave the castle unnoticed and find her way to the docks, let alone journey to Arendelle on her own. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. _Surely he must have known._ Olaf could have sat back and watched her try to escape, assured that she wouldn't have the slightest chance at success, but he didn't. Instead, he was risking not only his status as a royal guard, but also his life in helping her. She was beyond touched.

In hushed whispers, Anna repeated the directions Olaf had given her while keeping her ears open for any disturbances. Yet only the unnerving hoots of an owl and the sound of leaves shivering in the wind tore through the night. Once or twice, she held her breath as guard or stable-hand past her, but little else happened. Through squinted eyes, Anna looked over the bush and saw the stables surrounded by fences and what looked like the outlines of men patrolling the perimeter. She imagined the conversations they were having, talking of intense sword fights and recounting memories of fumbling like fools in front of pretty girls. They spoke with such a familiarity that made her feel all the more lonesome. However, the rational part of her figured that was far from the truth. These men were probably no more talkative than the guards inside the castle.

Anna sat back down. Minutes passed and there was still no sign of an uproar. Worry fixed itself between her brows. _Was Olaf caught?_ she thought. _No, he'd blend in right in with them. So then_ —

The sound of wings beating against the wind filled her ears as legions of birds took to the sky, flying away from the stables. Anna jumped up and set her gaze towards the stables, realizing instantly why Olaf had taken so long. Dozens of horses rammed against the fences, too high for them to jump, though that didn't stop them from trying. They reared and bucked against the men attempting to calm the beasts, acting as if they've seen a pack of wolves. How Olaf was able to release such a number of horses and spook them to this extent was beyond her. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the horses residing on the left side of stables still remained confined, yet they banged against the wood in distress.

In a matter of minutes, all attention was directed towards the horses. Guards previously flanked on the left side of the stables made their way to the opposite end. Anna took this as her cue to push forward. Her worries of being heard vanished when her ears met the cries of horses and the sound of hoofs flailing at anything and everything in its path. One of the men shrieked in pain. She stopped and winced. It reminded her all too much of the incident in the courtyard, but she didn't allow herself to dwell on it for long. _I'm sorry,_ she thought, before resuming her pace.

Nearing the stables, Anna spotted a pair of guards fidgeting in place. They seemed to be casting a wary eye at the scene, as though they knew that something was amiss, as though they were looking for someone. An intruder. Her. With her heart hammering against her chest, she slipped past them and sprinted onward. Anna glanced over her shoulder in fear of finding one of the guards pursuing her, but they hadn't noticed.

The road began to curve as she found herself next to the stables. Her path lacked any trace of guards, save for the voices seeping through the wooden wall next to her. A chill crept up her spine. Being in such close proximity to them unnerved her. So she ran faster and faster until her light footsteps could be heard once more. Not far ahead stood the northern castle wall and, therefore, the castle gate. Anna would have sighed in relief had her lungs not screamed in protest after each step. _Just a little further_. But after stumbling over her feet and falling, she stopped to catch her breath.

"Halt!"

Anna turned and froze. No more than twenty feet away, a guard bounded towards her. Pure dread coursed through her veins. Her instincts urged her onward, yet her legs disobeyed. Heavy footsteps grew louder. And louder. Then, a surge of warmth engulfed her numbness. She could feel the fire building in her, tempting her. A simple wave of her hand was all it would take. But she resisted and by the time she began to run, a hand gripped her arm.

"What are you doing out here so late in the night, lady?"

Anna stared up at the guard, fear lodging itself in her throat. "You h-have to let m-me go. I…" _Wait, did he say 'lady'?_ Her eyes widened in realization. The man didn't recognize her. Perhaps all hope wasn't lost after all. "My c-cousin…" She paused, panting to give herself time to think. Fortunately, the guard seemed to fall for the ruse and waited patiently. "I j-just received word from a messenger that my cousin has f-fallen ill."

His gaze softened, though his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "If that's the case, why are you garbed in suspicious-looking clothing? If time is such a concern, I'd presume a horse would have been preferable travel over crossing the castle grounds by foot, correct?"

"I didn't want t-to draw attention to myself, so I wouldn't have to w-waste time explaining my situation. And y-yes, you're right. I would have mounted a horse but… the stables! I m-mean, the horses had gone wild."

"That's exactly why I can't let you leave. While I don't doubt your story, there's still a possibility that you may hold some accountability in this situation. After all, you did just come racing from that direction. Unless you can provide hard evidence to support your—

"Wait!" Anna held out the key Olaf had given her. "One of the castle guards gave this to me. Does this suffice? Trust me, I would have waited until the morning if I could, b-but there's no telling if she will still be a-alive. My cousin is gravely ill. P-please, you h-have to let me go."

The guard scrutinized the key before he stared at her, as if searching for some sign of deceit in her eyes. She could only hope that her fear of being caught had been mistaken for desperation to see her "cousin". After what seemed like an eternity to Anna, he nodded. "Okay, that should do." He returned the key back. "If a guard trusted you with a gate key, then that's enough for me. There's really no other way you could have acquired this. It's not like you could have taken it by force, no offense."

Her cheeks burned, but she merely nodded, not wanting to try her luck with a retort.

The guard surveyed the path in front of them. "It might be wise for me to escort you to the castle gate since there are a few guards there who might question you."

"I would appreciate that."

With that, they trotted towards the front gate. Anna allowed herself to relax a little and gaze at the landscape around her. While the greenery wasn't as beautiful as the royal gardens, it still felt refreshing to her nonetheless.

"So I take it you're a noble of some sort and a young one at that. Do your parents know about this?"

Anna let her eyes linger for a moment on the castle ramparts teeming with guards before looking up at him. "No, they aren't exactly fond of my cousin's family. It's nothing to worry about, just a petty quarrel over lifestyle preferences." She tensed up slightly. "And I've already left a letter explaining everything."

The man nodded and said no more, perhaps noticing her unease. Anna returned her attention to the surroundings once again. Soon, they arrived at the castle entrance and encountered a group of guards. Anna kept her head low while her companion briefed the men of her situation. A few nods passed between the guards before they led her to the gate and opened it. For a solid minute, all she could do was stare, taking in as much of the world as possible, as though the gates would close any second. After throwing a cursory look behind her, she closed her eyes briefly, drew in a deep breath, and ran.

Anna didn't slow her pace until she passed the clearing Olaf had mentioned and saw the docks in the distance. Even without the flickers of light illuminating the path, the crisp sea breeze biting her face was more than enough to guide her. It felt nothing like the warm summer winds she had known all her life, nor did it taste the same. And it only grew stronger when she arrived on the docks.

A handful of merchants bustled around her, loading wooden crates on and off the ships. Anna scanned their faces as she passed by and frowned. There was no sight of Olaf. She couldn't understand. Olaf had a head start on her, and she was delayed by the guard who spotted her. So, it wasn't likely he was still at the castle grounds.

In her worry, she bumped into someone and yelped as she fell backwards from the force. Before her back could hit cobblestone, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and steadied her.

"I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?"

Anna looked up at the well-dressed man in front of her and blushed at their closeness before shuffling back slightly. "No, no, I'm fine. Besides, it was my fault anyway. I wasn't looking where I was going and..." Her shoulders slouched as she remembered why she bumped into the man in the first place. "I don't suppose you've seen a royal guard here recently?"

He shook his head. "No, not recently. Though, I did see one around three days ago on a ship heading to Arendelle soon."

"Arendelle? Are you certain?" With wide eyes, she grabbed his arms and shook them. "Could you take me to the ship?"

"S-sure!" he said, clearly taken aback. "It's actually not too far from here. If you could just, uh…" He coughed and lowered his gaze. Anna followed his eyes and her cheeks reddened once more.

She squeaked an apology and released his arms, as though they were ice cold. The man gave an understanding smile and led her to the ship, which wasn't all that far. The vessel looked so different from the others that she was puzzled at how she missed it. Its polished frame gave off the impression the ship was fit for royals and large enough to house dozens of them.

"Is there anything else you needed, miss…?"

"Lianna and no that should be all." She smiled. "Thank you for your help." _Really, Anna? Lianna? Might as well tell him I'm the Crown Princess of Arendelle._

"It was no trouble, Lianna." He held out his hand. "I'm Hans."

She hesitated. In all her encounters with nobles, she would be the one to extend a hand for them to kiss. _Maybe customs are different outside the castle walls._ Tentatively, Anna held his hand in one of her own and lowered her face towards it. Before her lips reached their destination, the hand was pulled gently from her grasp.

"I, erm, Lianna, you don't have to do that." His face was flushed completely. "I was—I, uh, just meant for us to shake hands."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She laughed nervously and averted her eyes.

"No worries. You caught me off-guard is all." Hans scratched the back of his head. "I'm guessing you're not from around here?"

Anna nodded but was only half-listening. She felt a pair of eyes staring at her and glanced around until her eyes landed on the ship in front of her. Her breath hitched. Olaf was on the vessel talking with someone and subtly gesturing for her to come. Immediately, her gaze shifted back to Hans. "I don't mean to be rude, but I really have to go now. I'm very sorry, and thank you again!" She didn't wait for a response and darted towards the ship.

After reaching the left platform adjacent to the ship, Anna ducked behind a crate. Although the man Olaf was conversing with had his back towards her, she could tell from his attire that he was a royal guard. It would be impossible to board the ship without being noticed, and there was no guarantee he wouldn't recognize her. She peeked over the crate. Moments later, Olaf met her gaze and waved his hand towards the water. Her brow furrowed as she peered into the murky depths of the sea. _How would this help me get on the boat?_ After a few moments, it hit her. It was the same as how they evaded the guards from earlier at the courtyard and at the stables. "A diversion," she whispered. "Of course!"

A quick scan over her shoulder assured Anna that no one was watching her. Turning, she faced the water once more and felt a familiar heat flow within her, building towards her chest. She basked in the warmth, allowing it to accumulate past her normal limits. Anna then extended her arms in front of her and channeled the heat to her palms until they took on an orange hue. Slowly, she retracted her arms before pushing them forward with all her force. Her hands lost their glow as a sphere of fire shot towards the water. Anna scurried away from the platform while a mix of steam and water exploded in the air behind her.

"Help!" Anna said to the men nearest to her, pointing to the shaking platform. "Something ruptured over there!"

They rushed past her and more men followed, forming a crowd on the left side of the ship. Anna looked back at where Olaf and the guard had been and noticed they were gone. _Perfect, Olaf must have convinced him to check the left platform._ Quietly, she stole away to the platform on the right side of the vessel and climbed aboard.

The inside of the ship was just as polished as the exterior, and there were at least ten rooms on both sides. After reaching the last room, Anna slipped the door open and entered. The room had a similar setup to the ones in the castle, though the closet wasn't nearly as spacious. Once she removed her backpack and sunhat, Anna collapsed onto the bed and sighed at the comfort it brought her. Now, with her adrenaline slowing down, she felt her muscles aching and her energy ebbing away. Although she made it this far, Anna hadn't the slightest idea as to how she would evade Kai and the rest of the passengers for the entirety of the two-week voyage. It wasn't as if she could just stay penned up in her room throughout the whole trip. _Hmm, maybe I don't have to hide the entire time?_ Her fatigue didn't allow her to dwell on it for long. With heavy eyelids, she closed her eyes. _Only for a couple minutes,_ she thought as she fell into a deep slumber.

/

Hours later, Anna cracked open her door and eyed the hall for any movement. She had woken up to the sounds of voices and heavy thumps. Yet the emptiness of the passageway told her that the noise may have come from the upper decks. Judging by the faint sunlight coming through her window, it was early morning, assuring her that Kai and the others have already boarded the vessel. She closed the door and exhaled. It wouldn't be long before they leave.

Not even five minutes passed when an echo of footsteps reached her ears and, while she reasoned it might be her mind playing tricks on her, she slipped the door open once more. A silhouette stood at the center of the hall, opening each door on both sides. Instinctively, she shut the door. The subsequent thud that resonated made her wince. Pressing an ear to the wall, she prayed that the figure hadn't heard the noise, though her hope shattered at the sound of racing footsteps. Before she could even think to move, the door pulled forward and caused her to crash into someone.

"Anna! Thank goodness you're here."

Upon seeing who she bumped into, Anna wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Olaf," she said, her voice muffled by his chest. "Don't you know how to knock?"

His chest shook with laughter against her. She noted that it sounded more out of relief than amusement. They spent a few more moments fixed in place before entering the room.

"We made it, Anna." Olaf slipped the door closed. "The boat is departing in about 30 minutes. Now, the hard part is to avoid letting anyone see you." He ran a hand through his hair. "But we'll worry about that later. Right now, I should probably go help the others upstairs, or I may draw suspicion."

"Wait, how did you get permission to come with them?"

"Oh, it took some convincing. I told the men that the king had sent me at the last minute. Most of them seemed skeptical but, thankfully, Captain Vern vouched for me." He chuckled, though there was no humor in his eyes. "Yet I don't think I'll have the captain's trust once he learns the truth."

Anna lowered her head and her shoulders sank, burdened by guilt. "I'm sorry, Olaf." She didn't know what else to say. It would be impossible to send him back to the castle now that the others have seen him. They would know he had lied and word would travel fast to her father. And while he had aided her tremendously, she doubted he would see it as a noble cause.

"You have nothing to apologize for." He grinned at her. "I'm more than willing to lose one person's trust if it means keeping you safe."

"But if you didn't help me leave the castle, my safety wouldn't be an issue since there's no way I could have escaped on my own. You wouldn't have to risk losing anything." Her voice grew softer. "It's not worth it. Maybe there's a way I could fix—"

"Anna, if there's anything I've learned over the years, it's that you're persistent, perhaps dangerously so. Without a doubt, you would have found a way to reach Arendelle. And the only thing not worth risking is standing before me." He turned, grasped the door knob, and stopped. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." After shooting a smile her way, he hurried out the door, leaving Anna to her thoughts. _I won't let my father strip away your title, Olaf. I promise._

With some time on her hands, Anna opened her backpack and removed the dresses, hanging them in the closet after smoothening them out. She organized the rest of the contents into separate piles and placed one half in a drawer near her bed and the other half on her desk. Satisfied, Anna lay on her belly, book in hand, and resumed from where she had left off.

Later, the ship's horn blared through the air, interrupting her reading. Anna opened her door and made out distant voices, but the noise drowned out their words. Once it stopped, silence fell for a few moments, and then a voice boomed so loudly she surmised that she could have heard it even through closed doors. "Set a course for Arendelle!"

 **A/N: Hello, I hope everyone is doing great! So, Anna's finally on her way to Arendelle. We will see Elsa within the next two chapters, which is definitely way overdue, sorry haha. Anyway, a big thank you to my beta reader, Jyn044, for her help with this chapter, as well as the previous ones. Thank you all for reading, and I'll cya in the next chapter! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Anna stood in front of her window, her eyes glued to the waves leaping and diving along to a silent melody. The ocean's gleam under the sunlight only captivated her all the more. She had never imagined water could be so beautiful. But the sea gave off a sense of danger and stirred a tendril of fear in Anna. For hundreds of miles, there appeared to be little else but endless depths of water, with no sight of land, people, or shelter. At any moment, the boat could spring a leak or capsize, and they would be dragged down to their watery graves without a witness. Anna shuddered. As if to accentuate her thoughts, the boat dipped down further than normal before shooting up, causing her stomach to flip and turn this way and that. Steadying herself, she ambled to her bed, lay down, and propped her head up with a pillow. Rubbing her temples in circles, Anna stared at the ceiling and groaned. _Maybe choosing a room at the end of the ship wasn't such a good idea._

Throughout the day, Olaf brought her makeshift meals, and they ate together while discussing whether or not they should explain their situation to the others. The king and Kai's close friendship convinced Anna that he would, at the very least, hear her out, but Olaf held some reservations. Eventually, both came to the conclusion that it was inevitable and that they would need to talk with Kai and Vern sometime before they arrived in Arendelle. Some of the men frequented the hallway and entered and left their rooms at random intervals, so bathroom trips were becoming increasingly difficult for Anna. Worse, Olaf's _excessive_ eating habits were starting to draw suspicion from some of the passengers as well. It was needless to say that by nightfall, the duo had agreed to reveal their secret the following morning.

That evening, Anna faced her mirror and ran a comb through her hair, undoing her messy bun and letting her tresses fall past her shoulders. In an instant, her appearance shifted from one of a poised lady to that of a young girl. She let out a small sigh. Such a simple hairstyle seemed unbefitting of royalty, but she preferred it over the elegant, yet rigid braids her hairdressers would manipulate her hair into. It made her feel light, confident and… _free_. Yawning, Anna sauntered over to her bed, wrapped herself in the blankets, and fell asleep to the lulling whispers of the ocean.

When dawn pierced through the window, Anna sat up rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Begrudgingly, she left the warmth of her covers and went about her morning routine, as if nothing had changed and she was back at the castle. Not long after finishing, a quiet rapping sounded from the door and, recognizing the knock's rhythm, she opened the door.

"Good morning," Olaf said, "Sleep well?"

"Well enough." She stifled a yawn with her hand. "Getting up this early takes some getting used to."

He grinned. "I'd assume so, considering that you normally wake up just before noon. You wouldn't believe the number of times the king thought you had fallen ill."

"Listen here, mister," Anna said, eyes narrowing into a playful glare. "I'll have you know that practicing fire magic takes a lot of energy. Besides, it's not like my father is ever free in the mornings." Her thoughts traveled back to Desera briefly before she sighed. "But never mind that. Where's everyone else?"

"A couple of the men, including Kai, are on the deck above us." He held the door open for Anna, and they started towards the stairs. "I'll let you do most of the talking so that it doesn't seem like I coerced you into this. But if you need help, just remember, I'll be right here to support you. Let's just hope they believe us."

"They will, Olaf." Anna unconsciously touched her pendant. _They have to._

After reaching the first floor, they continued onward to the bow of the ship, where three men faced away from them, leaning against the wooden guardrail. As the duo approached, one of the men turned at the sound their footsteps and motioned for the other two to do the same. Anna shifted her eyes around nervously, her confidence diminishing under their curious stares.

"Princess Anna?! When did—how did you…?" Kai, the dark-haired man standing at the center, stammered incoherently before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"W-well, you see." Anna cleared her throat. "My mother spoke to me a few nights ago and warned me of a threat endangering Arendelle. She said I have to protect the kingdom from… something, I'm not exactly sure. But I have to help them in whatever way I can."

Kai blinked at her. "Your mother spoke to you?"

"Yes, I know it sounds strange, but it's true. I wasn't dreaming or anything. She looked just like how I remembered her from all those years ago. And her voice... I promise you it was real. It had to be. I think we share some sort of magical connection."

The man on the right of Kai stepped forward. "With all due respect, Crown Princess, that's not possible." He shifted his vision to Olaf and glared. "King Adgar never told you to come with us, did he? Vern, this is exactly why I was against letting him board the ship. He not only deceived us, but also endangered the princess by bringing her along. Olaf, I'm sure you're well-aware that the king wouldn't condone your _treasonous_ actions." He shook his head and sneered. "Some royal guard you are."

Vern opened his mouth to reply, but Anna beat him to it in a flurry of anger. "Okay, first of all, I convinced Olaf to come with me, not the other way around. What reason could he possibly have to travel to Arendelle and bring me along?" She glowered at him, daring him to respond, but he didn't. "That's right, _none_. And secondly, you have no right to talk like that to him! He's risking everything he has just to ensure I get to Arendelle safely. No other royal guard would do that. You would be lucky to be even half the warrior he is."

"I'm not a guard, but what you say is true. No other royal guard _would_ put you in peril like this. And rightfully so." he said, seemingly unfazed by her outburst, yet his eyes betrayed frustration and something else. _Is that… fear?_ She didn't have long to consider it, as he stormed past Olaf, bumping his shoulder in the process.

Immediately, Kai and Vern shouted after him but to no avail, their words falling on deaf ears.

Kai turned. "I apologize, Olaf. And to you as well, Princess," he said, shooting a reproachful look at the man's retreating form. "Agent Feren has always been rather impulsive and judgmental by nature. He means well, I'm sure. Though I'll have to talk to him later about his behavior. As for the current predicament…" He looked back at Anna and seemed to mull over her plea. "Under normal circumstances, it would be hard to imagine that Queen Idunn spoke to you. However…I'm inclined to believe you. We _have_ uncovered evidence that proves there is a threat conspiring against Arendelle. In fact, the king wanted me and my agents to attend the festivities in Arendelle to eliminate the culprits. But how could you have known if not for the supernatural? You and your mother certainly shared a powerful connection while she lived, and there is much about magic that is not yet known. Perhaps some remnant of her may exist in you."

Anna's spirits soared upon his words. While she hoped for this outcome, Anna hadn't thought that he would believe her _this_ easily. Her happiness, however, was immediately dashed by his next sentence.

"But... I can't allow you to come. I'm sorry, Crown Princess, we have to return to Desera."

"W-wait, I don't understand. If you believe me, then why can't I come?"

"In short, your father. Although I don't agree with how Feren spoke to you and Olaf, he's right on one thing: the king would never approve of you putting yourself in peril like this. Everything he does, all of the security measures he's implemented and defense meetings he's attended, he does it all for you, Princess. Even this assignment I've undertaken is intended to protect you indirectly."

Twinges of guilt pricked at Anna's heart, yet her resolve remained. "Arendelle needs my help, Kai. If you and your agents were enough, my mother wouldn't have urged me to come along. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I could have saved someone's life but instead chose to hide behind the castle walls."

Kai regarded her for a moment. If his wrinkled brow was anything to go by, he appeared to be conflicted.

"If you're worried over my safety, don't be. I can defend myself with my fire magic should the circumstance ever call for it," Anna said with conviction.

"Indeed, your safety is my primary concern and even with your sorcery protecting you, I'm afraid that you're not invulnerable." He turned to Vern. "How long will it take for us to reach Desera?"

"We would be going against the winds if we turn back now, so I'd estimate around double the time we've spent at sea already. Maybe two days, three at most," Vern said.

"That's troubling." Kai frowned. "We wouldn't be present for the majority of the celebration."

"Exactly! Something could happen during that time and neither you nor your agents would have the power to do anything about it," Anna said.

Vern nodded. "She's right, Kai. Our mission would be compromised. Maybe it's best if we call off the assignment all together and simply return to Desera?"

"Wait, what?" Anna blanched at the suggestion. "You're just going to turn your back on them?"

Vern swallowed, faltering under the pointed look Anna gave him. "I-it's not as it seems, Your Highness. There—

"No." Kai sighed. "We have to go through with this assignment. King Adgar made it clear that there wouldn't be a better opportunity to… improve our relations with Arendelle by taking out the conspirers."

"So, Olaf and I are coming with you?" Despite the situation, Anna's lips twitched upwards as she fought a smile. "We're still going to Arendelle?"

Reluctantly, Kai nodded. "Yes, but our mission will come second to ensuring your security. In addition to Olaf, you will have at least one other guard supervise you at all times." He turned. "Vern, would you mind fulfilling that role? I'd rest easy knowing that the princess was in such capable hands. "

"Of course," Vern said, "I'd be honored."

"Good. We can discuss this situation more with the rest of the men over breakfast." Kai smiled at Anna. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet another member of the Royal Family."

/

That evening, Anna returned once more to the bow of the ship and rested her arms on the guardrail. Suddenly, the water didn't seem so frightening anymore, and everything just felt so… different. The world seemed brighter, even as the sun dipped into the ocean with tired reluctance. She looked over her shoulder and figured perhaps the air of levity around her was the cause. Some of the agents sat gathered in a circle while one of them told stories of old Deserian legends. For a group of battle-hardened men, they shared a very childlike fondness for myths and tales. _Just like me._ The thought brought a smile to her face. Off to the right, she saw Vern and Olaf conversing. He had left her side moments ago to inquire more about the threat in Arendelle.

Anna set her gaze back on the water and found herself pondering upon the discussion from earlier. She had learned that Kai and Feren were originally going to take on the appearance of nobles so as to not draw suspicion during the celebration. However, with Anna being present, Kai had mentioned there wouldn't be a need to have both Feren and him feign nobility; he alone would suffice. Feren, of course, was none too pleased by the change. _Serves him right,_ she thought with a huff.

"Princess, you don't want to listen in on the storytelling?"

Anna turned to find Kai standing on her right, mimicking her stance and resting his arms on the guardrail. He had been so quiet she didn't even hear him approach. _I suppose his title of spymaster_ _is only fitting._ "I have already heard those tales before. Well… not really heard as much as read them."

"Really? All of them? Even the one about the Deserian man who molded the sun with his bare hands?

"Yes, even that one. I've spent a lot of time in the castle library. There isn't really much else to do in the castle." She looked away.

"That's impressive. Your father did say you were enthralled by novels." Kai paused for a moment. "But once we return to Desera, I'm sure you'll set aside those books long enough to take a liking to horse-riding and such."

"What do you mean?" Titling her head, she stared straight at Kai. "I'm not allowed to leave the castle."

" _Yet_. You're not allowed to leave the castle yet. Your father mentioned to me that he would lessen his restrictions after I complete this mission. Whoever these conspirers are, they're the main source of his worry and once eliminated, he has no reason to keep you confined in the castle. That doesn't mean you'll have complete freedom, however."

"Oh," Anna said, her voice revealing but a fraction of the emotion that bubbled inside her. She couldn't believe it. All these years of living in near-complete isolation within the castle would finally come to an end. While the journey to Arendelle promised freedom and adventure, she had figured returning to Desera would mean falling right back into her world of dust-ridden books. Olaf's company and her dinners with her father (when he wasn't in a meeting) would have made it bearable. But no. Instead, she would be able to live, truly live, like she had done when her mother was still alive, when everything felt right in the world.

Anna fell silent for a few minutes, and Kai didn't seem to mind. She could see why her father liked him. His patience and comforting presence reminded her of Olaf. And her mother. A familiar ache burrowed into her chest.

"Kai?" Anna chewed on her lip, her eyes glistening with yearning. "Do… do you remember anything about my mother?"

Kai regarded her, and when she didn't meet his gaze, he turned to the ocean. "Your mother was the most diplomatic queen I've ever encountered. She stopped a handful of skirmishes and potential wars from happening with just her words and never had to intimidate any royals or nobles with her magic. And she could have, too. No one in the kingdom had rivaled her sheer power and control over fire. But just like her prowess in magic, her benevolence was unparalleled, and she preferred to use her talent to aid others. She would…"

His next words faded into murmurs suddenly, and Anna tensed up. With a distant expression overcoming her features, it appeared as if her attention had gone elsewhere. And in a sense, that was true. She felt a small part of her mind, the same place where she had seen her mother, spark with the gentleness of a fingertip brushing against a palm. There, smaller than the one she had seen a couple nights ago, a flame flickered. _Does this mean…?_ Anna gasped in realization. The connection still remained. Diminished, but still there nevertheless.

Relieved, she gave an inward sigh and returned her full attention to Kai.

"You know, the queen once stopped an immense flood that had enough velocity to wipe out a nearby village. I'd never seen anything like it before."

Anna raised her head and knitted her brows. She thought back to the docks and how her sphere of fire barely even dented the ocean's surface. "Wouldn't the water have doused her flames if it had that much force?"

"Yes. Even with her great power, the fire wouldn't have stood a chance against the flood. But the inferno she conjured wasn't any ordinary fire." Kai stilled, as if watching the memory play before him. "It didn't shift or flicker or even burn, really. Her fire was essentially fixed in place, unmoving, almost like it was… frozen. She created a barrier of fire and when the water hit, it reflected off the flames and flowed along the fire without a trace of smoke or steam."

Anna couldn't help but gape at Kai. "That's… she's amazing. Or was, I suppose. And not just her magic, but also who she was." Though she felt proud of her mother, she couldn't help but feel a shred of insecurity. _I'll never be as good of a queen as you._

"That she was." He observed her for a moment, and Anna was certain he had read into her self-doubt since he said, "And as are you. Your mother would be so proud. The courage it must have taken to leave your home and travel to a foreign land is admirable." He smiled with his eyes. "The king also speaks very highly of you. He says you remind him of his wife, and I think I'm starting to see the similarities now. You'll make a great queen one day, I'm sure." His face shone with such warmth, such genuine warmth, that Anna found herself smiling back. It was hard to believe that this sensitive man was Desera's spymaster.

"I hope so." Anna stared up at the sky and through the expanse of dark blue mingling with the remnants of a reddish-orange tinge, she noticed a lone star peeking out.

/

As the days had passed, Anna began to fall into a pattern. She would converse with Olaf and the rest of passengers in the mornings during breakfast, read her novel throughout the afternoons, and talk with Kai or listen in on the storytelling in the evenings. She realized that the agents were nothing like the guards back at the castle. Although the men treated her with respect, they spoke to her outright and didn't tread around her feet in fear of offending her. The men also teased and bantered with one another and displayed a strong sense of familiarity that couldn't be described by any word other than 'family'. It felt wonderful and made Anna ponder how she managed to live with such little interaction over the years. A part of her wanted the trip to last indefinitely, to feel the sea breeze rush against her face and the sunlight invigorate her, to remain in such pleasant company, not a speck of loneliness in sight among the laughs and jests surrounding her.

After a week at sea, Anna sat perusing her book outside on the first deck of the ship, the sun beating down with more intensity than usual. It didn't bother her in the slightest. Normally, she would seek the silence of her room when reading, but the deck was devoid of all the other men, perhaps a consequence of the heat. Only the sound of waves and the wind met her ears. Yet that didn't mean she would be distracted any less. More often than not, Anna found herself lifting her head up to take in the view of open waters and clear skies, not a cloud in sight. While she had often thought of what the sea might look like up close, she never imagined it to be this lovely. She wasn't so sure she would ever get used to the sight.

An hour had passed, and hardly a page turned. With a sigh, Anna shut the book, rested it on her lap, and gave her full attention to her surroundings.

"Lovely day, isn't it?"

"Mhm."

Anna paused, backtracking for a moment before standing abruptly with a yelp and launching her book upwards.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to startle you," Kai said as he retrieved her novel off the ground.

"No worries, Kai," Anna said. "I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

As Kai handed her the book, he glanced at the title. "You're reading _The Five Pillars of Sorcery_? It's quite a tale, definitely one of my favorites. How far in are you?"

Anna blinked. She hadn't thought he took an interest in novels, particularly of magic. Kai and his men were just full of surprises. "I've actually finished it a couple days ago, but I thought a second read might clear up certain aspects of the story."

"Ah, what's confusing you? Perhaps I can help."

Anna smiled at the gesture. "It's the part about how the distribution of magic became so uneven. Why were there so many people gifted with water, fire, ice, and light but so little gifted with darkness? I thought that the pillars were supposed to be in balance."

"Hmm, it's not the pillars that are in balance, but the energy that fuels each pillar of sorcery. It takes time for the number of mages in each pillar to equalize. Remember the war in the last volume where those…" He trailed off at the perplexed expression etched on Anna's face. "I'm sorry, did you read the first two volumes before this one?"

Anna shook her head. "The castle library only had this book out of the trilogy. What happened in the previous ones?"

"Well, they essentially covered a rather gruesome war between two deities, the Deity of Light and the Deity of Darkness. The first deity wielded magic from the pillars of fire, ice, and light, while the other deity did so from fire, ice, and darkness. The story didn't really go into much detail of how the war started, but it had something to do with conflicting ideologies in ruling. The war waged on for centuries, neither side giving in, but eventually the Deity of Darkness gained the upper hand and dissolved the other deity's spirit. But the war wasn't finished yet."

"Why not?"

"It wasn't clear, but the volumes suggest that the other kingdoms, aside from the Dark and Light Kingdom, had remained neutral up until that point. Yet once the Diety of Light perished, it's said that the other kingdoms formed a pact and joined forces. The Deity of Darkness had to fight against the Fire Kingdom, Ice Kingdom, Water Kingdom, and the remnants of the Light Kingdom with only his dark magic followers by his side. If memory serves me right, the mages somehow removed the weakened deity's immortality and dispersed its spirit as well. From there, the Dark Kingdom was all but wiped out, unable to hold its own against the other kingdoms."

"Wow, that's an… interesting story. Sad, but interesting. I can't begin to fathom the number of deaths that must have occurred." Anna opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came out. Her eyes flicked to the ground, then to his face, then back to the ground again, all the while Kai watched her curiously. After a minute passed, Anna breathed. "I know this story is just a myth and this may sound childish, but sometimes I wish stories were real. That's not to say I wish this one in particular was real since it has so much violence, but just stories like this one. It certainly _feels_ real, more so than most tales, at least. Do you ever feel that way?" Hesitantly, she looked at Kai, cheeks flushed in embarrassment."

"Perhaps. I believe that there's some degree of truth in every story's foundation. The details are what cause the truth to become obscured. But it's important to remember that time changes, and what may seem believable at one point may not seem so in the future."

"I suppose that makes sense… Wait, Kai, you've traveled to many kingdoms, being a spymaster and all, right? Have you ever met someone who had control over one of the five pillars of magic? Besides fire?"

"I have, actually." Kai grinned at the excitement lighting up Anna's face. "It's been some years, but do you recall your cousin, Princess Rapunzel of Corona?"

Anna nodded vigorously. "Of course! Punzie and I used to…" She cleared her throat. "I mean, Princess Rapunzel and I used to play by the water fountains near the Royal Garden."

Kai chuckled, though to his credit, he didn't comment on the silly nickname. Olaf would have teased her relentlessly if he heard her. _Though, it would only be fair,_ Anna thought, smiling. She had teased him for days when an older chef caught his daughter and Olaf flirting. His face had never been so red.

"Well, I visited the Kingdom of Corona a few months ago, and it turns out that the princess is a light sorceress," Kai said. "You know, according to the story, Corona is centered at the heart of where the Light Kingdom had been."

"Wow, does that mean Desera used to be where the Fire Kingdom was?"

"Ah, very perceptive of you." He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Yes, you're right. And the Ice Kingdom and Water Kingdom encompassed land that now make up Arendelle and Zareth respectively. According to the book, at least."

"And the Dark Kingdom?"

"No one lives in the region where the Dark Kingdom is said to have been. It's more or less a wasteland."

 _A wasteland?_ For some reason, the thought instilled a sense of melancholy in Anna. "So, there are no more wielders of darkness, are there?"

"Actually, there might be a few, just dispersed randomly throughout all of the kingdoms. I'm sure you've read that the offspring of a mage has a chance of acquiring the parent's magic. But since the balance is skewed so severely, it's plausible that some offspring may harbor dark magic, regardless of the parent's magical tendencies." He paused. "Of course, that's only if you take the story of _The Five Pillars of Sorcery_ as fact. Many do not."

"Hmm, that makes sense," Anna said, a smile returning to her face. "Thanks for sharing, Kai."

"My pleasure, Princess." He stood up and stretched his arms a bit before smiling. "Now, I think I'll follow the others' example and escape from this heat."

After waving him goodbye, Anna lay on the wooden floor, not caring for decorum in that moment, and allowed her thoughts to wander. In one conversation, she learned more about sorcery and its inner workings than she had in a month's worth of reading. Anna closed her eyes, indulging in the warmth battered into the wood by the sun. _Maybe I'll meet an ice wielder at Arendelle._ Her next thought jolted through her frame, sending her heart racing as her eyes shot wide open. _What if the threats are ice wielders?_

/

The next few days had passed by uneventfully, though Anna did discover she could best a spymaster in a game of chess. If Kai's gaping meant anything, even he must have been surprised at the result. Back in Desera, the king had always seemed distracted during their matches, so Anna never regarded those wins as victories. But after wiping the floor with each and every person on board, she realized that she truly had a talent. Yet it wasn't the newfound skill but the admiration of the crew—no, her _friends_ —that made her feel warm.

Midway through the second week of the journey, a visible changed occurred in the agents' demeanor. They grew tenser by the day, perhaps unnerved by the daunting task that lay ahead. But she couldn't blame them. Anna would be lying if she said she didn't feel nervous herself. When she had asked Kai about the conspirators being magical, he nodded solemnly and said it was possible.

The men spent a lot of time eyeing their surroundings wearily, especially as an oncoming vessel passed by a couple times. Anna, on the other hand, felt a surge of excitement at the sight of other ships, even waving at one close enough for her to make out the faces of a dozen merchants. _Those ships had to come from somewhere… maybe they're from Arendelle?_

One morning, Anna stood with Olaf at the back end of the ship, just having finished breakfast, when they felt a sea breeze carrying something along with it—something that nipped and scratched at her skin. The sensation felt unearthly, foreign, and perhaps even a little unpleasant, yet she couldn't put a name to it. Yet, as quickly as it came, the feeling disappeared as her necklace began to glow, and heat flowed from her chest to the rest of her body. "What was that?" Anna whispered to herself. Then, a snowflake landed on her nose, and it dawned on her. For the first time in her life, she had felt _cold_.

"It's… snowing. Anna, it's snowing! In the middle of summer!" Olaf said with a look of utter bewilderment mixed with awe. "How is this even possible?"

Anna just shrugged, at a loss for words, and gazed amid the snowfall at a swirling cluster of snowflakes gliding along the wind. Not even five minutes ago, the weather had been balmy with plenty of sunlight, but now cold air and snow swept over them, the sun shrouded by clouds. _If that isn't magic, then I don't know what is… Wait!_ She turned. "Olaf, don't you know you what this means? We must be in Arendelle!" Without waiting for a response, Anna pulled Olaf along towards the bow of the ship.

The other passengers must have had the same idea since they stood huddled by the guardrails. Spotting Kai among them, Anna squeezed through the small crowd of men, Olaf in tow, and made her way to him.

"Oh, there you are, Princess! This snowfall signals our approach to Arendelle. It won't be long now."

Peering through the falling masses of snow, Anna realized the air had taken on a white hue, making it difficult to discern anything past a few kilometers. Worse, the cold air prompted her eyes to water and further obscured her vision. She looked at Olaf and found him facing the same problem.

"Here, Princess," Kai said, holding a bronze-colored object in his hand. "This should help, even in this weather. A couple of twists on the spyglass might be necessary to get a clear view."

Shooting him a smile of thanks, Anna closed an eye and pressed the spyglass towards the other one. The once white air somehow became translucent, and she adjusted the spyglass to zoom in more.

Olaf nudged her. "What do you see?"

"Nothing yet, just…" She broke off, her words forgotten as her eyes squinted in concentration. "Wait, I think I see something. There's a platform… and another one… and a ship and…" She lowered the spyglass, a smile creeping onto her face. "A seaport. We're here, that has to be—"

"Arendelle," Kai finished, staring straight ahead with a smile of his own.

* * *

 _A/N: Hi, I hope you all are doing great! Or well enough, since, you know, summer is ending and school/college beckons for some of you. Suckers... Just kidding, I'm in the same boat :P Anyway, with this chapter, we're now over 20K words! I'm pretty psyched about that. It's a wonder how some fics *cough* The Queen's Mercy *cough* hit over 400K. And that story technically hasn't even ended yet haha. I remember thinking that this fic would end at around 40K, but I realize now just how I wrong I was. We only just reached Arendelle, so there's a long way to go. Next chapter will have Elsa in it, I promise! Anyway, a big thank you to my beta reader, JYN044, for her all help/edits/critiques with this chapter, and thank you all for reading! Oh, one last thing! The last two chapters were a bit longer than my previous chapters (5k words vs 2.5k words). Do any of you prefer one length over the other? I'd be able to get the shorter chapters out more often, but the longer chapters might feel more immersive._


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